Spring is a good time for spring cleaning and also spring maintenance on exterior areas of your home that may have been abused during winter's weather. Your roof is an important part of your home, as it protects your home's interior and takes a great deal of wear and tear. Springtime provides mild weather and provides a good time to get on your roof and inspect, repair, and maintain your roof for the upcoming months. Here are some tips to help you complete this project.

Check and Repair Flashing

As you climb your roof to check your roof flashing, make sure you wear footwear that is going to help you remain stable while on the roof. Shoes with good traction and rubber soles are ideal. Also don't climb on your roof while it is wet, as this can increase the chance of you falling from its height. Make sure you the ladder is positioned at a slight angle and is on stable ground so it does not move around while you climb it.

The flashing on your roof consists of the metal strips that line the edges of your roof against gables, a chimney, exhaust vent pipes, skylights, and other areas, such as roof edging, valleys, and junctions. Flashing can become loose, damaged, and peel away from its position, causing water to leak into your roof and into your home. Check all metal flashing to make sure none are curling, peeling up, corroded, or broken from the roof.

Replace a broken or damaged section of flashing by removing the old section of flashing and buying a matching length. You may need to remove any shingles covering the section of flashing you are repairing so you can replace the flashing properly. Push the new flashing into position and use nails to attach it onto your roof, positioning the nails so they will be covered by nearby shingles. Replace the shingles over your repaired flashing, then use roofing cement to cover the nails.

You may also choose to hire a roofing professional to replace broken and damaged lengths of flashing. Talk to your roofing contractor for their recommendations for any necessary repairs.

Check and Repair Shingles

While you are up on your roof, check the condition of your shingles at a close-up inspection. Take a look at any irregular shingles that you may have noticed from the ground. Inspect the condition of your shingles to see if they are lifting from the shingle curling or if the nails have become loosened, causing the shingle to lift. Occasionally, winter's snow and ice build-up on your roof can work its way under a layer of shingles, causing them to lift up.

Any shingles that have become lifted up, inspect them for any curling, cracking, or tear damage. If a shingle has merely become loose, use new nails or screws to reattach it into its place. It can be helpful to complete this inspection during sunny weather so the shingles have warmed and are more likely to bend and not crack, causing additional damage.

If the shingle is curled, cracked or has other damage, it will need to be replaced. Use a pry bar to lift up the shingles immediately above the damaged shingle. Remove all eight roofing nails that are holding the broken shingle in place. Four of these nails extend through the shingle above the damaged shingle in addition to the damaged shingle. Be careful you don't damage the surrounding shingles while you do this work.

Slide a new shingle into the space by lifting up the surrounding shingles. Use eight new roofing nails to attach it into place, inserting the nails approximately one-half inch away from the old nail holes in the roofing deck.

About Me

I have never been much of a DIY-er, but when I moved into my first home, I decided to try my hand at a few projects. My ideas blew up in my face--badly. I found myself struggling to put wiring back together and to repair the lawn that I had butchered. Instead of trying to clean up the mess and make things right on my own, I contacted a team of professional contractors for help. They were amazing to work with. They went through and worked room by room to repair my mistakes, and it was really incredible to see the difference they made.